[ˈfɔːwədˌθɪŋkɪŋ]

Getting Started with Google Plugin for Eclipse

Recently I have come across a project where we have to use Google App Engine, for this purpose we decided to take the Google Plugin for Eclipse for a spin.

Moving along the tracks of getting started, its bound not to be entirely frictionless, however first trouble came immediately after installing.

I’m running a MAC OSX 10.7.2 on a MBP, using Eclipse IDE for JavaScript Web Developers including the Java Development Capabilities in the Indigo Service Release 1 version.

Immediately after installing the Google Plugin and continued to the next step to Create my First Web Application Project for the Google App Engine, I ran into problems with the Lack of JRE mappings in the IDE.

Specifically the error was the following:

Unable to locate the JVM for project XXX
Please verify that you have a project-level JVM installed by inspecting your project’s build path.

But there is no need to panic, just go to through the following few steps…

Open Preferences for Eclipse on the File Menu.

Navigate to “Java” –> “Installed JRE’s”

If the list is empty, which I assume it is since you are reading this page just now, just click “Add”.

Select “Standard VM”

For JRE Home, navigate to and select the following path:
/System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents/Home

Enter a name like JRE 1.6.0

Leave Default Arguments empty

Click Finish.

Close Preferences.

Likely you should see the project compiling now…

So, selecting “Debug As… Web Application” will start the build-in server up listening on port 8888, and in the console of your Eclipse you should see the last listing being this one…INFO: The admin console is running at http://localhost:8888/_ah/admin

Navigate to that URL and you should see this rudimentary but functional administration console…